Devils top Sabres 4-1 in NHL regular-season opener in Prague - ESPN

PRAGUE — Jacob Markstrom made 30 saves and Paul Cotter had an empty-netter and assist in their debuts with New Jersey as the Devils beat the Buffalo Sabres 4-1 on Friday in the NHL regular-season opener that was played in the capital of Czechia (widely known in English as the Czech Republic).

After former NHL great Jaromir Jagr, who still plays in the Czech league, dropped a ceremonial puck, Stefan Noesen became the first scorer of the season 8:39 in to put New Jersey up. Defenseman Johnathan Kovacevic, also making his Devils debut, made it 2-0, and then Nico Hischier scored early into the second before Owen Power got the Sabres on the scoreboard midway through the third. Cotter made it 4-1.

«Ultimately, the group just pulled together and wanted to compete at the high level tonight, and I think they got after it right from the start,» Devils coach Sheldon Keefe said. «From the opening faceoff we were all over the net within 10 seconds.»

The teams' series of games on Friday and Saturday is part of the NHL global series. Two more international games will be played in Tampere, Finland, on Nov. 1-2 when defending Stanley Cup champion Florida faces the Dallas Stars.

This is the 11th season the NHL has played in Europe as part of its efforts to grow the fan base in hockey-mad countries like Czechia, Sweden, Finland and others.

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 19 saves for Buffalo.

The Sabres hope to end a 13-season playoff drought this year. Coach Lindy Ruff, who guided them to their last postseason in 2011, is back after he was fired by New Jersey. During his previous stint from 1997 to 2012, Buffalo advanced eight times and reached the Stanley Cup final in 1999.

«The start was probably the biggest difference in the hockey game,»